Forest fire has adverse ecological and economic impacts and is a major concern in many countries. An effective fire detection and monitoring system is an important component of forest fire management. ICIMOD has developed a forest fire detection and monitoring system for Nepal and Bhutan based on MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. The work was carried out in close collaboration with the Department of Forests in both countries, and was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) under the SERVIR-Himalaya initiative.
